Teaching by Example

Reflecting on Anti-Oppressive Pedagogies in Special Education Teacher Preparation

Abstract

This article presents a tool to inform course planning among special education teacher educators to center anti-oppressive practices in their syllabi and course design. The authors begin by describing the context of special education teacher preparation and the need for preparation programs to center intersectionality and foster the development of anti-oppressive practices. Next, the authors present a new critical preparation framework drawn from theory and pedagogy that center equity (e.g., resources in critical race theory, culturally sustaining pedagogy, DisCrit) and a review of relevant literature in teacher education. Based on these critical framings, the authors present a tool: A Guided Reflection of Identity, Power, and Praxis in Coursework to guide teacher educators through course revision or design that centers anti-oppressive practices. Finally, the authors present recommendations for teacher educators to apply the tool to their own courses to ad-vance the use of anti-oppressive practices in teacher education and special education.